XL2000: Data Lost When a File Is Saved in the .dbf File Format (214146)

SUMMARY

When you save a Microsoft Excel file to the dBASE (.dbf) file format, only the list containing the currently selected cell or the area that has the defined name "database" is saved to the new file. Any data that does not fall within that range is lost.

Note also that only the selected worksheet in the workbook is saved to the dBASE file format.

MORE INFORMATION

When you save a file to the dBASE file format in Microsoft Excel, only the currently selected list, the list containing the currently selected cell, or the range with the defined name "database" is saved. A range on the worksheet that has the defined name "database" takes precedence over the selected list (that is, the .dbf file will contain the data from the "database" rather than the data from the selected list). If no list is found on the worksheet, you may receive the following message:

No list found. Select a single cell within your list and Microsoft Excel will select the list for you.

When you save your file to the dBASE file format, options set in the Page Setup dialog box are lost. For example, if you click the Page tab in the Page Setup dialog box and set the scale to 75%, the scale reverts to 100% when you close the file (saving any changes) and reopen it in Microsoft Excel.

NOTE: A .dbf file opened into Excel automatically has a range named "Database". If you do not create the named range, and you save the file as .dbf and then reopen it, the name will exist.